General Customs clearance
We carry out clearance on many varied products which fall into
this category of service and this represents the majority of
our business. It is necessary for us to understand many differing
types of business in order to help our customers and this is
where we exceed. Customs clearance is simple yet at the same
time a service which takes years to understand and transform
it into a professional service. On average we handle around
3000 Customs entries on a monthly basis and account for in excess
of £10 million on a monthly basis in VAT and Duty payments
alone. Such extravagant figures demonstrate the level of accuracy
at which we operate on a daily basis with limited allowance
for error.

Fresh produce
and foodstuffs clearance
Fresh produce is a speciality business and one which we are
proud to be a leader in. One of our most famous traits is our
involvement in the fresh produce business, i.e. fruit and vegetables.
Due to our location in Sheerness which is one of the largest
fresh produce ports in the UK we are able to control the import
of fruit and vegetables through the port however we handle vast
amounts of perishable cargoes at container ports outside of
Sheerness. Fresh fruit and vegetables and their complex documentation
and varying duty rulings are a test to the most experienced
in the perishable forwarding community, due to our years of
experience we are able to offer advice and information to assist
both importers and forwarders alike, if in doubt ask.

Recently Defra have introduced a system known simply as ‘PEACH’.
This system is in place to enable perishable importers and agents
to notify Defra of impending arrivals into the UK which may
be liable to inspection.
A risk based assessment is carried out by their database and
after your information has been run through the system you will
either be issued a ‘certificate of conformity’ or
your cargo will be flagged for inspection.
Registration is require for use of the system, to find out more
please visit www.peach.defra.gov.uk

UK transport for
containers. (FCL)
We have a wide range of haulage services at our disposal based
in most of the UK’s major ports, commitment to service,
punctuality and knowledge of UK road haulage are our strong
points in this field and we only use approved carriers.
Whether you have a 20’, 40’ or specialised container
you have to deliver, we are a strong position to get the job
done with the minimum amount of fuss.
By using Kleerfreight for your transportation (or merchant haulage
as it is known) you may be liable to a small charge from the
shipping line called Lo-Lo (lift on-lift off) which is currently
in the region of £60.00 dependant on the shipping line
and port in question, this is payable to the shipping line directly
and will not be including in our price.
Sometimes this Lo-Lo charge can make the movement more expensive
than shipping line haulage so please bear this is mind when
requesting a quotation.
To use our delivery service you will need to get your consignment
released to our company for collection, this is usually done
once the shipping line are in receipt of any monies due from
you and the original bill of lading being lodged, you must request
this release to us, it is not an automatic procedure. Once we
have this in place, we can take over and carry out the delivery.

UK Transport for
palletised goods. (Breakbulk)We have tariffs for part load deliveries in the UK
predominantly based on pallet sizes, be it an overnight, same
day or economy service you require, we can help you choose the
right service.
This type of pallet delivery service is becoming increasingly
popular in the UK with more and more companies becoming a local
arm for larger networks, this enables us to call on many different
suppliers to find the right service and price for your job.
Not only do we transport on a pallet basis but we also handle
boxes, cartons and out of gauge shipments.

UK transport for
small consignments. (LCL)For each port we have a nominated haulier to handle
our LCL deliveries.
These hauliers are chosen for reliability, punctuality and cost.
Hazardous cargoes and textiles usually attract an extra surcharge,
please ensure you advise us when booking your delivery of any
special requirements you may have.
The most important thing to note is that you will have to get
your consignment released to our order at the point of devanning,
usually this is done by quoting a three digit code which identifies
our company at that location, without this release in place
it is possible that you will incur extra charges by way of storage
and wasted delivery charges so ensure that you are clear in
your instructions, if in doubt, you should ask one of team at
the time of booking.
You will not get release of cargo form the freight agent until
all charges due are settled and the original bill of lading
is lodged.
Individual spot quotations and tariffs are available on request,
please contact our team for further information.

Ships agency and
attendance.Another service available to our customers, be it full
ships agency or attendance for vessel and cargo discharge, insurance
claims and physical cargo examinations.
As this service can vary from one job to the next, please contact
us with your enquiries [email protected]

Fresh produce quality inspections.
With vast knowledge within the perishables industry we are
able to offer not just advice on importations but specialist
services quayside too.
Checking produce and liasing with government departments is
an everyday occurance for our highly trained staff.
No matter how large or small your consignment we can take
care of any request prior to your cargo being delivered to
the coldstore or supermarket.

Vehicle Imports
For Trade Importers – Special ServicesHaving been involved in this operation ourselves
as a company, we know how important it is to get your vehicles
customs cleared and moved ready for sale as soon as physically
possible.
We also understand that costs need to be kept to a minimum
in order to make your profit.

Kleerfreight are able to offer very competitive rates for the
motor trade in these circumstances.

To enable us to complete your customs declaration we will
require the following information

Full company details (incl. VAT number)

Copy commercial invoice

Copy bill of lading

We can also arrange the payment of shipping charges on your
behalf, lodge your bills of lading, arrange your transportation
( for one or multiple cars ), even advise on SVA and registration
procedures.
For more information please contact us [email protected]

Vehicle Imports
For Private IndividualsThere are a few different scenarios attached to the
importation of vehicles for private individuals, some people
move home, some just purchase a new car from overseas to save
money.
Paperwork required for this depends on which category you
fall into.

Transfer of residence/ moving home
Customs waive taxes on vehicles that are coming to the UK
as part of an international transfer of residence, specific
requirements have to be met in order for this waiver to apply.
You must have been living in the country from which the vehicle
is leaving for more than 12 months and must have owned and
used the vehicle for more than 6 of those 12 months.
Taxes must have been paid in the country of origin and not
refunded in anyway on export.
The following paperwork will be required :-

If you are returning a british registered vehicle then you
need to complete a C179b, A copy of the british log book may
be required in addition to the above paperwork.

If you fall into the category of purchasing a vehicle abroad
to save money and are not moving home then taxes are due to
H.M.Customs & Excise, currently these taxes are set at
10% of the CIF (cost of vehicle/Insurance/Freight) value of
the vehicle and then 17.5% VAT.
The following paperwork will be required :-

Copy de-registration ( This sometimes comes in the form
of police authorisation from some Arab countries)

Full name and address of the importer/owner

Psuedo turn number (if applicable see note below)

Note
If the importation is a ‘one-off’ and you are
not planning on importing another vehicle then you will not
require a temporary VAT number, if there are more to come
you will need to apply and gain a temporary number known as
a ‘Psuedo turn’ , the telephone number for application
can be found on our links and useful
numbers page.
This number allows Customs to keep track of all importations
made by non VAT registered traders.